President Trump speaks during a campaign rally at the El Paso County Coliseum, Monday, Feb. 11, 2019, in El Paso, Texas.

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1 week ago

In Dueling Rallies, Trump Taunts Beto Over Crowd Size

Newser — Rob Quinn

President Trump and Beto O'Rourke held dueling rallies across the street from each other—and across the Rio Grande from Mexico—in El Paso on Monday night. Both men addressed the border wall issue, with Trump, at his first rally of the year, speaking under signs that read "Finish the wall," the El Paso Times reports.

The president appeared unaware that lawmakers in DC had reached a deal that included border wall funding well below what he had asked for, reports the AP.

"I had a choice. I could've stayed out there and listened, or I could have come out to the people of El Paso, and Texas, I chose you," Trump said.

"So we probably have some good news. But who knows?" He added: "We're building the wall anyway." O'Rourke, meanwhile, spoke at a protest rally that followed a march with dozens of local groups, the Guardian reports.

"Walls do not make us safer," the Democrat told the crowd. "With the eyes of the country upon us, all of us together are going to make our stand here in one of the safest cities in America," O'Rourke said.

His crowd was estimated to be in the thousands, though Trump, speaking at an arena that holds 10,000 people, estimated his own crowd at 35,000 and O'Rourke's at 200 or 300.

“Not too good," said Trump of O'Rourke. "I say that may be the end of his presidential bid." He mocked the Democrat as having "very little going for himself except he's got a great first name." Trump also slammed those who disputed his claim that the El Paso border fence had drastically reduced crime, including the city's Republican mayor, as "full of crap," the New York Times reports. (This Arizona city wants the government to remove razor wire from a border wall.)